by Rev. Carlee Hallman

Month: July 2018

O Lord, the food here is so good
in our retirement home,
that I eat too much.
I have gained weight
when I thought I was losing it.
I could point out, Lord,
that some are worse than I am.
But that’s not the point, is it?
We were taught to “clean up our plates,”
but now, Lord, it would be better
to toss out food
that our bodies don’t need.
We who are overweight
certainly don’t need dessert.
Lord, give me strength to say, “No”. Amen.

Matthew 6:12
“And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Father God, it’s a new day:
A new day for living in your kingdom.
There’s weeding in the garden
to be done this morning.
And a meeting about church services
this afternoon.
So our time on earth is spent.
Does that have your blessing, Father God?
Being retired, we are not in the leading edge.
We read in the paper of electronic game contests
which we don’t understand,
but which the young enjoy.
Those in the work force continue strong.
Each day is a jumble of work and play.
Guide us as we seek to live in your presence. Amen.

Matthew 6:9-10
“Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Dear Lord, the older we are
the more infirm we become.
Various systems of the body give out
and we end up in a wheelchair
or in bed permanently.
Old age is not really that much fun.
As our bodies wear out,
we lift out eyes to heaven.
We long for the wholeness
which only you can give.
Your love surrounds.
You are our strength in time of need. Amen.

Lord, we know that you went to school
because you could read and write.
Reading opens new worlds to us.
Writing helps us express ourselves.
We give thanks for public libraries.
Now young people can access
all sorts of knowledge on their phones;
facts at their fingertips.
Yet, Lord, understanding
and growing in love
are more than facts and knowledge
can supply.
Your guiding Spirit supplies
the combination of all three.
Thank you, Lord, for being with us. Amen.

Luke 4:16-17a
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him.

John 8:6
They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

John 17:26
“I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Great and gracious God, it’s a new day
with time to do your will.
It’s misty and moist.
The weeds in the garden taunt me.
I want to go and yank them out.
Is that how you feel about our erring ways?
The trouble is, there are always
more weeds coming up.
Gracious God, open our eyes
to your vision of heaven on earth.
Guide us into your way. Amen.

Matthew 13:37-39
He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.”

Lord, another gray day.
The flowers have had enough rain.
Weeds are exultant.
The gardener gets wet.
Sometimes, Lord, our lives
seem drenched with tears,
as sorrow after sorrow
is inflicted upon us.
We cry to you
and you still our hearts.
You say, “I am with you.”
Thank you, Lord, for being there
and loving us always. Amen.

Matthew 28:19b
“And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Dear Lord, rain is predicted all week.
The sky is a continuous gray.
If it isn’t raining, it’s a good time to weed
or stay inside and do housework.
I prefer weeding.
Lord, you spoke to leaving the tares
until the harvest, and you were talking
about sins.
You never reached old age on this earth.
In old age, we are not surrounded
by a lot of temptation
except maybe over eating.
Keep us safe in your care, Lord.
We look forward to being more fully with you. Amen.

Matthew 13:30
“’Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them into bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barns.’”